1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to urinal devices and more particularly pertains to a collapsible female urination aid for facilitating urination by females in a substantially upright position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of urinal devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, urinal devices heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of facilitating female urination are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
For example, a funnel device to facilitate urination by women in an upright position is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,998 which includes a semi-rigid funnel rim contoured to surround the female genital region with a flexible funnel body depending from the rim. The funnel body has a continuous wall sloped inwardly and towards the front of the funnel body which terminates in an orifice situated towards the front of the funnel body. A bendable, elongated disposable tube is sealably attached to the funnel orifice and is inclined downward and outward at an angle with regard to the funnel body.
Another patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,751 which teaches a disposable urinating funnel for females which comprises a thin, paper-like sheet which is folded in half to form two overlapping sections whose free edges are connected together and tapered towards the fold line to form a flunnel-like shape. The upper edges of the funnel-shape are curved to cover a female vaginal area, and the opposite, bottom edges form a spout-like portion.
Other known prior art urinal devices include U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,838; U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,249; and U.S. Pat. Des. No. 290,880.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a urination aid for facilitating urination by females in a substantially upright position which includes a base having a center opening which may be positioned over the female genital region with a collapsible fluid guide extending from the base to guide urine directed through the center opening of the base away from the user, such that the collapsible fluid guide may be compactly stored against the base to form a substantially flat package. Furthermore, none of the known prior art urinal devices teach or suggest a collapsible female urination aid of the aforementioned structure which further includes a pair of raised finger pads disposed along lateral edges of the base for permitting increased application of pressure to a seal extending around the central opening, as well as an absorbent pad secured to a lower end of the base for performing a sanitary wiping of the genital area after urination.
In these respects, the collapsible female urination aid according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of facilitating urination by females in a substantially upright position.